Raven Moon
by Aerys Krystie
Summary: A simple recovery gone wrong. A simple sealing gone wrong.
1. Raven Moon I

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* * *

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Raven Moon

**By:** Aerys Krystie.

**Theme:** AU/XOver.

**Plot:** Recovering a painting sounded easy enough for Ban and Ginji, until it starts glowing. Waking up in a river, covered in feathers did not make things any easier, especially not when they find the painting is missing.

Sealing a painting sounded easy enough for Dark and Krad, who had joined forces long ago, until they are pulled into it. Dumped in an unknown place, with no memory, with only a feeling they need to accomplish something, they team up with others for help.

**Warnings:** Slight language, sexual themes, nudity, corny jokes told badly, OOC-ness.

**Disclaimer:** The characters of D.N.Angel and Get Backers _do not_ belong to me. I make no profit from this.

**A/N:** I am a total Krad whore, and I insist he goes everywhere. So, please bear with me if this story seems Krad-centered.

* * *

Endless Rain.

"Dark!"

His own voice seemed to echo around the darkness, bouncing back at him, and still only his voice. He continued to run, though. Aimlessly and towards nothing. It didn't matter; all that mattered was finding Dark. Finding Dark and killing him for getting them both into this mess. He really didn't know whose fault it was, but it was just easier to blame Dark.

The last thing Krad remembered was he and Dark combining their powers to seal a painting. Without warning, a vortex opened within the painting, pulling them both in. When Krad come to, he was alone in the abyss, and Dark was nowhere to be found, nor responding. Though he would never let onto it, Krad hoped Dark was alright. If anything happened to that phantom thief, Krad would never forgive himself.

_Finally!_ Krad thought as he saw a speck of light before him. He knew it was stupid to run towards the light, but at the this moment, it was a lot better than running through the darkness that was getting him nowhere fast.

As the speck of light got bigger, Krad slowed to a jog. Should he really be doing this? Was it a smart move to jump into the light? Krad didn't know. He just knew that trouble lay beyond that light. He wished, for the fifth time, that Dark were beside him. He knew Dark would jump into the light without a problem, and Krad would follow him, just to tell the thief was a moron he was for getting them into some unholy mess.

Krad smiled at the thought of Dark. They had been partners in crime for the last seven months. Ever since Dark had tried to seal them away in Black Wings, and ever since something went wrong with Black Wings. Both were thrown back out, with their own bodies, able to lead their own life. Dark hadn't changed, and Krad was a lot less sadistic than he use to be.

Krad stopped moving. He stared at the light. He couldn't see anything on the other side. He could hear rain and thunder. It sounded like a really bad storm. There was no telling if Dark had come through here. There was no telling if he would be fine if he went into the light. There was no telling anything. It was all just luck. As he stared at the light, Krad asked himself: Was Dark worth it?

Was Dark worth the risk of dying? Yes, he was. Dark was his partner, and Krad knew Dark would do the same for him. He had no reason to hesitate. So why was he? Was it because he did fear what was on the other side? Or was it the nagging at the back of his mind, that was telling him he would have to search for Dark once he stepped through? Did searching for his darker half scare him that much? Or was it that searching for Dark in an unknown place that scared him?

What did lay beyond the light? Krad wasn't that curious. But it looked as though he wouldn't be able to get out of the abyss, unless he took one more step. And he didn't really want to explain to Emiko and Daisuke why Dark wasn't with him, or what happened to the painting.

_That damned painting!_ Krad gritted his teeth. _Oh, sure. It sounded like a basic job. Yeah, Emiko, you just forget to mention a vortex would open and swallow us!_ Krad sighed, trying to calm himself. He was in enough trouble. He didn't need his temper to make things worse. With a deep breath, Krad stepped into the light. Whatever lay beyond was now out of his control.

The light engulfed him and he could feel himself falling. Falling from a great height. "Dark..."

* * *

Clayman looked from Ban to Ginji, who was soaked to the core. They had returned five minutes ago, empty handed. She lowered her eyes to her cup of tea. She didn't know what to say. She had been repeating the same line since they returned, and knew Ban was getting more agitated every time she spoke those words. Yet, she still couldn't seem to stop them from escaping her mouth.

"You lost it?" she asked again.

Ban slammed a fist on the table, glaring at Clayman. "Yes! We lost it! Never mind the fact we both woke up in a river or that the stupid painting started glowing!"

Clayman shook her head and stood from the booth. "You both knew what that painting was. I even warned you to take extra special care with it. Hikari paintings are more than just mere paintings. There is more to them than the paint and canvas and frame. Hikari paintings have a soul, the soul of the artist."

Ginji stared at Clayman with soft eyes. He knew what artworks meant to Clayman, and hearing her speak of them in such a gentle tone made him feel even worse. He nor Ban knew what happened. When he thought about it, Ginji wasn't sure if he wanted to know what had happened.

Ginji remembered shorting the security system of the museum they were to steal it from. They went inside, just as planned, knocking everyone they came across unconscious. They found the painting on the third floor. Ban had stared at it for a few long moments, with a look on his face Ginji had only seen when Ban knew something but couldn't remember what it was.

Someone had set off the emergancy alarm, forcing Ban and Ginji to grab the painting and flee the building as the police rounded the corner. They got into Ban's car, and drove. They were on the bridge when Ginji heard a strange sound. When he turned, the painting started to emit a dim glow. He told Ban about it, who slammed on the brakes, and got out of the car, pulling the seat forward to have a better look at the painting.

After that, Ginji couldn't remember. The next thing he knew, he was face up in the river, staring at the storm clouds and covered in black feathers. Ban was already making his way out of the river, covered in white feathers. As soon as Ban had wrung his hair out, he began blaming Shido for it. Ginji knew it wasn't Shido. None of Shido's beasts had feathers like the ones they were covered in.

They then returned to the Honky Tonk, sat down and informed Clayman the painting had gone missing. She had gone quiet for a few minutes, until she started repeating the same question again and again. Ginji had seen the painting, it was beautiful. But he still wanted to know why it meant so much to Clayman. It didn't feel as though her mother had painted it. No. There was something else special about it.

They turned their attention to the door of the coffee shop when it opened, Shido and Kazuki walking in. The painting in Shido's hands. Ban and Ginji got to their feet, staring in horror at the Beast Master.

"Y-You!" they cried in unison.

"Did you two knuckle-heads drop something?" Shido threw the painting to Ban and sat down at the counter. "Coffee, please."

Ban caught the painting and blinked. "That's it? You're just giving it back after you stole it?!"

Shido glanced at Ban from the corner of his eye. "I never stole it. I found it in the park. It was driving my animals insane. I took one look at it, covered it up and brought it back to you."

Ban took the clothe off and laughed mockingly. "Very funny, monkey-man! Where's the real one?"

"What do you mean?" Shido stood and walked over to Ban, glancing down at the painting. "That's how I found it."

Kazuki stood beside Shido and gasped. "Ms. Clayman, is that a Hikari?"

Clayman smiled. "You have a good eye for art, Kazuki. Yes, it is a Hikari." She looked around Ban, her eyes widening in horror. "And this is how you found it, Shido?"

"Exactly like that. Why?"

Clayman pulled a small photograph out of her back pocket and handed it Shido. "That is what this painting is meant to look like."

Shido looked down at the photo and frowned. "How can that be? Paintings can't change on their own!"

The photo contained two people, both with wings; one set black, the other pearl. They stood in a rose garden, facing each other, before a raven black moon. The painting only contained one of the people, the one with pearl wings. And instead of standing, he was on the ground, his eyes lifeless, staring out of the painting, with a black feather in his hand.

Natsumi watched as the five people spoke in a huddle. She couldn't understand what had gone wrong, but knew it had nothing to do with her. She finished wiping down the counter, and removed her apron. She stepped out from around the counter, calling out goodnight to everyone. As she reached for the door handle, the lights in the Honky Tonk flickered.

"Dark..."

Natsumi screamed, diving to the floor as something came crashing through the ceiling of the shop. She coughed and waited for the dust to settle before standing up, looking towards the counter. Paul had just side stepped, to miss being crushed. Ban had protected Claymen. Ginji, Kazuki and Shido looked ready to attack. Seeing as no-one was hurt, she turned her attention to the person on the counter and screamed again.

"Is she dead?" Natsumi asked, her voice quivering a little.

The person coughed, opening their eyes. She glanced at the people in the shop, getting to her feet. She fell to one knee, coughing up blood, until she put two fingers into her mouth and pulled out a glass shard, tossing it aside. Her gold eyes were blank, emotionless, like she was a puppet, being moved by strings.

"Um, Miss?" Natsumi took a shaky step towards the weird person on the counter.

"Ky-Kyoto..." was muttered as the person fell to the floor in a crumpled heap.

Paul hung up the phone. "Ambulance is on the way."

Ban, Ginji, Kazuki, Shido and Clayman all exchanged glances, looking down at the painting on the floor, then back at the person that had come crashing in. "Hikari," they uttered.

* * *

End Chapter I.

Not exactly my best first chapter, but it is two thirty in the morning here, so please forgive me. Also, please ignore all mistakes. I will actually get around to editing this.

Reviews would be wonderful - only constructive critism is welcomed.

. Auska.


	2. Raven Moon II

**~ Raven Moon~**

**By:** Aerys Krystie.

~ * ~

Amethyst eyes opened slowly. His head was killing him. He wasn't sure if it was the feeling of his brain being too big for his skull or if it was the beatnik in there playing the bongos. Either way, he had to do something about it.

He tried to sit up and realized he was practically paralyzed. He raised his head and looked over his body. There were…big pins or needles of some description placed on his legs and arms. He figured it must have something to do with acupuncture. Not that it mattered. They wouldn't be in his body much longer.

_Get out of my body!_ Not knowing what he was doing, he continued to try and force them out of his limbs with his mind. When the last one fell to the floor, he stood from the gurney he had been laying on and looked around the room.

It wasn't that big but maybe the darkness made it look smaller. He could hear at least three people in the room with him. He hoped one of them was the owner of those pins or whatever. He wanted to kick someone's ass for that. He may not know who he is, but he was damn sure he didn't like foreign objects in his body.

"Wow, you really are something."

He closed his eyes as a series of lights turned on, blinding him for a few moments. When he opened them, he saw someone that could be classed as a young adult. Maybe a teenager? He didn't care. He just wanted to know where he was, who he was and how he could get back to his normal life. He wasn't sure about that last one.

"Where am I?"

"You're in the Limitless Fortress. You really are new to this area, aren't you?"

"Who are you?"

"I think the better question would be: who are _you_?"

He opened his mouth to answer but closed it. "I don't know."

The teenager smiled. "Well, I think I can give you a name. Do you mind if I call you 'Angel'?"

"With every bone in my body! What kind of a name is that?!" He glared at the teenager.

The teenager shrugged. "When you came crashing in, you defended yourself against Juubei's needles with your wings. You were like a dark angel. How about 'Dark' then? It can be short for Dark Angel."

He curled his lip back in distaste. "Drop the 'angel' part and you have a deal."

"Good, good. I'm MakubeX. The man in the corner is Juubei and the girl is Sakura." MakubeX stepped closer to Dark. "I'm guessing that seeing as you don't know who you are, you don't know what your purpose is either, right?"

Dark frowned. He had a vague idea that was at the back of his mind, hidden by a haze. So, no, he didn't know. Not knowing anything about himself was beginning to annoy the hell out of him and if he didn't get some answers soon, he was certain he would kill someone.

Dark didn't even remember "crashing" into this joint, much less having wings and defending himself. His memories begin from the moment he opened his eyes. Maybe he hit his head somewhere that caused amnesia. Hopefully it's only temporary.

Dark glanced at MakubeX and realized he was still waiting for an answer. "I'm looking for something."

MakubeX tilted his head to the side. "Something" was definitely better than nothing. In the meantime, maybe with Dark joining his force, he might be able to do what he's been planning for a while. He nodded and turned to the side, showing Dark a door he had hidden.

"In that case, might I suggest you have a look around the Limitless Fortress?"

Dark cocked an eyebrow. Well, that was unexpected but at the same time, his curiosity was boiling over the edges. Dark inclined his head and left the room.

Juubei stepped out of the shadows with Sakura. "Are you certain about him?"

MakubeX smiled. "Of course. I have plans for him."

* * *

"I'm sorry. What do you mean he's gone?" Kazuki asked calmly.

The doctor shrugged in defeat. "The morning nurse was doing a routine check up on him when he scared her. That's all we know as she's in shock."

Ban scratched his unruly hair. "In your professional opinion, does it seem possible for him to be able to move?"

The doctor flipped through a chart in his hand. "Not for at least four months. The majority of his bones were broken. He had a punctured lung, a ruptured spleen and a discolored liver. He would have been in too much pain to even think of moving."

"Doctor!" a nurse called.

"Excuse me." The doctor left the six people at the front desk.

Clayman sighed. "And 'Raven Moon' was stolen last night, as well."

Ban groaned. "What else could go wrong?"

Shido looked around. "It's not as bad you think it is, snake-for-brains."

Ban's anger rose a few notches. "What does that mean, monkey man?"

Shido frowned slightly. He had a pretty good idea where the stranger was heading but the information seemed like half. Like it was only half a story. Something was missing. Something important and possibly referring to the painting.

Unfortunately, even when calling on his animals, Shido couldn't pin-point the stranger's location. The last he heard, the stranger was heading towards the Honky Tonk. That was at least half an hour ago. It was like the other had gone invisible.

"What are you thinking about, Mr. Ginji?" Kazuki inquired, staring at the silent firecracker.

"There's something going on inside the Limitless Fortress. Miss Clayman, why would someone want to steal that painting? I mean, I'm sure it's worth a lot of money. But, I don't think that's the only reason for wanting it."

"Um, excuse me? The doctor told me to tell you about this." A nurse looked at the group and helped up a white feather with a violet sheen to it.

Ginji took the feather from the nurse and studied it. He frowned as he noticed something. It was the same feathers Ban was covered in last night when they got out of the river. It wasn't hard to mistake it for any other kind of feather.

Ginji had noticed it with the black ones on him. They shined with the colors of the rainbow. And they weren't flimsy like normal feathers, they almost looked like metal. Even though they felt like a normal feather and had the same weight as one.

"What did the doctor want you to tell us about the feather?" Ginji asked.

"It was pulled out of your friend's back," the nurse replied. "The doctor was stitching up the wounds on his back when he saw something move inside. He pulled that out."

Ginji blinked. Angels? They were dealing with angels? He ran his thumb along the edge of the feather and sighed. They were as sharp as Akabane's scalpels. Ginji looked at the neat cut on his thumb. He hadn't even felt it.

"Ginji!" Ban called out as his best friend collapsed.

* * *

He wandered the streets, still in the hospital robe. He didn't care about the strange looks he got from the other pedestrians. He knew he wasn't in Tokyo or Kyoto. Or maybe he was and he just didn't remember what they were like. No, he was fairly certain he was in Japan, but he just didn't know what area.

Not knowing where he was scared him. Especially considering he almost knew where he was going. He didn't know exactly where he was going. He was just going in the direction he was being pulled in. Unfortunately, it created a feeling of dread in the pit of his stomach.

He looked up at the dark sky when thunder sounded. That was just what he needed. To wander the streets of some unknown city in a paper dress from the hospital that he escaped from. He couldn't even remember getting to the hospital.

All he remembered was waking up in the bed and knowing he had to get out there. It wasn't about getting out the hospital itself; it was more about finding whatever he was looking for. He had a feeling that if he didn't find what was lost, it could cause some serious consequences.

He hissed in pain as he walked into someone. It felt as though his forearm had just been stabbed with something. He looked down at it and saw he was right. He didn't remember walking into anyone that had armbands on. And he knows he didn't walk into anyone just then, because they didn't bump shoulders.

He sighed as he watched the blood make a thin circle around his arm to gather underneath and drip onto the street. He just wanted to know how he had done it. He was certain he wasn't holding anything sharp. To be on the safe side, he checked both hands and saw he was correct.

His eyes widened as he realized what the feeling of dread was. It wasn't about the place he was going to, it was about where he was coming from. He was being followed and it wasn't by something nice. No, whatever was following him was dangerous to a fault.

He ripped off a bit from the bottom of his robe and cleaned up his arm. The bleeding had stopped fairly quickly, something he was grateful about. He cocked his head to the side as the small incision closed up. Well, that wasn't something he was expecting. But it was helpful.

He put the bloodied paper in one of the bins along the street and continued on his way. He didn't want to confront whoever was following him. Especially not when he didn't even know who he was or just how dangerous he was. Whoever it was could be a demon for all he knew.

_A demon? Where did that come from?_ It was a funny thought. Thinking that demons existed. He might not know anything but he was certain enough to know that demons weren't following him. But it was something just as evil.

He turned up an alley, kind of hoping that whoever was following him would stop their pursuit. Thankfully, he figured himself to not be that lucky. He stopped and looked over his shoulder. There was no-one behind him.

He glanced at the wall to his left and frowned. Written on it was the words 'Raven Moon'. It was random and looked kind of out of place. Even if it did ignite a spark of reconciliation in him. He continued to stare at it, even when he felt that presence again.

It disappeared when he heard the words, "There you are."

He looked over his shoulder again and saw someone approaching him. It wasn't the person who had been following him. This person's presence was serene and friendly. It matched his face, especially his soft brown eyes.

He turned around and stared at the man. "Do I know you?"

The man shook his head. "No. You gave us all a fright though when we went to check up on you at the hospital and you were missing. I'm Kazuki."

"Kazuki…" he repeated slowly. It was a gentle name. "I'm – Well, I don't know who I am."

Kazuki smiled kindly and stopped walking, standing a foot away from the stranger. "We figured as much when you asked if this was Kyoto last night."

He frowned slightly, trying to remember. "Last night?"

Kazuki chewed the inside of his bottom lip. He had to get the stranger out of the streets in case he wandered into the Limitless Fortress and god knows what could happen to him there. At the same time, Kazuki wasn't sure if he would follow him.

"Are you hungry?" Kazuki asked.

He stared at Kazuki but smiled and nodded. He felt like he hadn't eaten in a month. Though with the way his memory was, that could very well be true.

"I know a little café. It's not far from here."

He stepped closer to Kazuki, letting the other know he would follow him. They left the alley and entered the busy street again. They walked along in silence. It wasn't uncomfortable. But he felt it was impossible to be uncomfortable in the company of Kazuki.

They came to a stop outside of a door and he looked down at the sign. Honky Tonk. He found that to be an amusing name for a café. It seemed very humble, though when they entered he wondered what could have happened to make the hole in the ceiling.

"Welcome to the Honky Tonk!"

He stared with wide eyes at the girl that had just greeted them. She was sweet and caring. It was in her eyes and he wasn't sure exactly how he was able to read someone. Much less feel a presence. Maybe there was more to him that he originally thought.

He glanced at the man that was behind the counter, reading a newspaper. He was a man of more questions than answers. Anyone could have picked that up. There was just an air of mystery surrounding him, but he was also a fair man.

He jolted slightly as someone touched his shoulder. He looked up at Kazuki, who looked a little worried about touching him.

"Please, have a seat."

"Mr. Kazuki, is that the same person we saw last night?" the girl asked.

He frowned. Everyone seemed to mention last night a lot and he wondered why. What could have possibly happened? Somehow, he felt like he was cause for concern but he couldn't apologize if he couldn't remember what he had done. It didn't seem like anyone was angry at him.

He sat down in a booth at the back of the little shop while Kazuki put in an order. He stared out the window then looked up at the hole in the ceiling. It would stop the rain as there was like tarp or something over the top of it. If that happened last night, it didn't take them long to clean up all the dust and debris.

Kazuki sat across the booth and studied him. "You really have no memory of last night?"

He shook his head. "Should I have? I only remember waking up in the bed."

"And you don't know your name or where you're from?"

He shook his head again and shifted uncomfortably. His back was beginning to hurt and he didn't know why. There was a burning sensation. It started on his shoulder-blades and was slowly starting to spread out.

Kazuki took the shifting as a response to his questions. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry."

The door opened again and the stranger looked at the people that entered. It was only four other people but there was something about them. He figured they were friends of Kazuki's as they had the same kind of aura, just not as friendly.

"You found him, huh, thread spinner?"

"Of course. How is Mr. Ginji?"

"I'm good, Kazu! I guess I really needed that nap, otherwise I wouldn't have I just passed out like that." Ginji grinned

The woman that entered with the three other men stepped forward. "Ban, Ginji, I have a mission for you. According to my sources, the painting is in the Limitless Fortress."

The stranger's eyes widened and he stared at her. The burning sensation was intensifying and he had a bad feeling about what she was going to say next.

"I think it's something you might be familiar with. Do you remember who you are?"

He shook his head. For some reason, he was getting a little annoyed at that question. Possibly because he was tired of being asked it. If they didn't know who he was and if he ran away from a hospital, obviously he wanted to run away from something or he didn't know who he was. He knew they were just trying to be nice and he would have been more co-operative if it wasn't for the pain.

She looked over her shoulder at Ginji and the brunet with the messy hair. Both nodded and she turned her attention back to the stranger. She wasn't sure if he was ready to hear a crazy explanation. But right now, she knew he had to know at least his own name.

"Krad Hikari." She instantly regretted it as he screamed out in pain.

~ * ~

End Chapter II.

I'm really sorry about the really late update but I kinda forgot I had this story. But that doesn't matter anymore as it's nearly complete. As a sorry, I'm uploading two chapters. I hope they keep you interested. Yes, this story is rushed and I apologize for that.

Please review!


	3. Raven Moon III

**~Raven Moon~**

**By:** Aerys Krystie.

~ * ~

As Dark wandered around the Limitless Fortress, he soon came to the conclusion he didn't like this place. It was horrible and having to fend off people was irritating. What he hated the most was the irony. The name of the place and how many people were suffering.

He knew it wasn't really any of his business. But until he figured out just exactly who he was, he would be staying here and he was going to make sure a few things were changed. He had no idea who was in charge or what the point to this place but at the same time, he knew it was a haven to some people.

Everything about this place seemed to be hypocritical. It was meant to be limitless, yet there were boundaries. It was meant to be a fortress yet anyone could enter. It was a heaven and a hell. It really made Dark feel kind of upset.

What Dark hated the most about that place was the secrecy that it was shrouded in. It seemed the weak were too scared to talk about it and the strong were just plain stupid. And everywhere he went, he saw one word appear almost constantly, like a mantra. Volts.

When he got back to MakubeX, he would have to ask about that. He wanted to know if it was the gang that was ruling this place and if they were, he would like to have a few words with them. This place seemed to have very little law and order.

Dark stopped in the middle of an empty street. Since he left the building where he woke up, he knew he was being followed. There was something weird about them. Their presence felt strange. It was unnerving, a sinking feeling. It wasn't evil nor was it friendly. It was hostile but not. Another hypocritical aspect of this place.

"Are you going to show yourself or just continue to hover up there?"

The person landed behind him and Dark turned around to face whoever it was. He was a little surprised to see a blond man, in a nice suit. Dark hated his eyes though. They were not inviting, unlike the smile on his lips. Whoever this man was, he was a very deceptive person and Dark wanted to kill him.

"Who are you?" Dark demanded.

The smile smiled cockily. "Tell me who you are and I'll you who I am."

_And he likes to play games. Great._ Dark narrowed his eyes. "I'm Dark."

"I noticed."

Dark rolled his eyes. He was not going to play this man's game, no matter what he said. "Who are you?"

"You have yet to tell me your name. All I got was your mood."

It occurred to Dark he would have to play this man's game for a little if he was to get anything from him. But Dark would be the one calling the shots.

"My name is Dark."

The man nodded. "Oh, I am sorry. My name is Kyoji Kagami."

_Well, that explains it, then._ Dark nodded. He knew that Kagami was around somewhere and he knew it wasn't the blond in front of him. There was nothing and Dark had to question why Kagami would go on the defensive immediately.

"Why are you following me?"

"I observe. You're not a resident of the Limitless Fortress."

Dark's pupils dilated for a second and went back to normal. _He knows more than he lets on. It must be part of his games._

"Are you the same Dark?" Kagami inquired.

Dark frowned. _What the hell is that meant to mean? Is everyone here crazy or am I the crazy one?_ "I believe so."

"The infamous Phantom Thief, I presume?"

"What?" _Shit! He's got me. I should have known._

"Oh, nothing. There is a thief with the same name as you. I figured you were either a fan of his or you were the thief. I know that seems a little ridiculous. After all, there is nothing here for you to steal, is there?"

Dark sighed and turned away from the man. "Perhaps we could continue this conversation when you're not too inconsiderate to hide behind a mirror."

_That ought to shut him up._ Dark rotated his shoulders. He didn't know when it started, but they felt as though they were on fire and it was spreading around his back. He figured it was just easier to blame Kagami. After all, Dark didn't really notice it until they began speaking.

"And things get interesting," Kagami muttered as he walked in the opposite direction as Dark.

* * *

"Krad Hikari."

Ban, Clayman, Ginji, Kazuki, Natsumi, Paul and Shido stared in disbelief as the freshly cleaned Honky Tonk was dirtied by a spray of blood and the window beside the stranger broken by a pair of large white wings.

Paul was the first to recover. "Should we take him to the hospital again?" he asked when Krad's head hit the table.

Everyone looked at Clayman and she shifted uneasily. "I don't know. I only know about the artwork, not the people who were painted in them."

"Did you know that would happen?" Shido enquired.

Clayman frowned slightly. She had just explained she knew nothing about the subjects of Hikari paintings. She wasn't sure what to expect when she said Krad's name. She was hoping it would jog his memory, not aid in his death.

"Oh no! Is he dead?"

Kazuki stared at Krad. "No. He's alive. I think he's in a lot of pain, though."

"Oh, my god! What happened here? Is she okay?" Hevn wasn't sure what she thought of the Honky Tonk's new décor.

"He," everyone corrected.

Krad groaned and raised his head. His eyes were unfocused as he looked in Kazuki's general direction. It didn't last long as his head fell to the table again. It was agony even thinking of moving anything that could result in the movement of his back.

_What happened? Where am I? Why is there a broken window? Did I break that? Is that a wing? Does it belong to an albatross? Is it albatross? That's off topic, right? Where is Kazuki?_ Krad wasn't sure how long he was staring at the rain when he realized the pain was subsiding. He raised his head again and looked around.

"Should we call an ambulance?" Hevn asked.

"No," Krad muttered. "I don't like that hospital."

"Are you okay?" Kazuki took his eyes off Krad's wings to look at Krad's face. He had a lazy smile on his lips, his eyes half closed. Kazuki figured he was still in pain.

"I'm really sorry, Krad. I didn't know that would happen."

Krad looked at the woman that had just spoken to him and frowned. She said his name? At least he remembered what his name was. He still had no idea where he was but he figured it to be somewhere in Japan. He wouldn't mind knowing the era.

"Accidents happen."

There was silence for a few minutes until Krad got to his feet. The pain had died away completely, something he wasn't expecting. He looked from left to right at his wings. He saw the colorful sheen his feathers had and he knew what the colors were.

Ginji frowned as he stared at the feathers. He saw the violet. It was identical to the one that had cut his thumb open. Thankfully, it wasn't too deep. The doctor just glued it closed and told him to take it easy when he woke up.

It did explain all the blood that had exploded from Krad's back when his wings broke free. Ginji just couldn't believe how badly releasing them affected Krad. He figured Krad's body would be used to it. After all, he must have had those wings since he was born.

"An angel?" Shido asked. That was something he wasn't expecting. Though, to have one of the people in a painting some crashing through the roof doesn't happen everyday, either.

"Red, green, yellow, orange, violet, indigo and blue." Ban studied the feathers. "Is that your way of being out?"

Krad gave the blue eyed man a confused look. "'Out'? What does that mean?"

Kazuki knew how this would end. "It doesn't matter, does it, Ban?"

Ban wanted to explain in great detail what being "out" meant. He had all the right people for the different sexual orientations, including a serious case of transgender issues. But Ban knew now wasn't the best time, seeing as Krad just found out the horrible way he had wings.

"Krad?"

Krad looked at the woman with the short grayish-blue hair. "Hm?"

Clayman stepped closer, pulling out the photograph. "Does this look familiar?"

Krad looked at the photo and nodded. "Yes." He looked at his wings and saw them glowing. He groaned. "That does it. If I start sparkling, I'm killing myself."

Kazuki chuckled. "I'm sure it won't come to that. So, Miss Hevn, what brings you here?"

Hevn shook her head. "Oh, right. I have a job for Ban and Ginji. Although, it might interest you and Shido as well. It involves the Limitless Fortress."

"And a missing painting?" Ban asked.

"Three missing paintings," Hevn corrected. "Apparently very rare and quite priceless. My client will pay any amount to have them returned safely."

Ban turned to Clayman. "There are three of them?"

"Yep," Krad answered. "'Raven Moon', 'Endless Rain' and 'Dark Light'." He looked at the other blonde-haired, gold eyed person in the room. "They're not priceless. Everything comes with a price." Krad withdrew his wings back into his body.

Hevn looked insulted. "Well, don't you know it all? What kind of price are we looking at with those paintings?"

Krad glanced around at everyone and wondered if it had been a good idea to mention the price. Then again, maybe it was, if they listened carefully, which he hoped Ban would.

"It costs the owner their soul." Krad looked around at the blank faces. "You've never heard the legend?"

"Of the roses?" Clayman asked. "The ever-changing roses of the Hikari Raven Moon trilogy."

"What roses?" Ginji asked, looking a little more than clueless.

Clayman looked at the electric blond and smiled gently. "When the original Raven Moon trilogy was painted, there were only seven roses in full bloom, in each picture, but countless buds. Over the years, the buds have flowered. Due to that, it has lead a controversy in the authentication of the paintings."

Ginji blinked. "Why seven?"

Krad took over as seven feathers appeared in his hand, each a different color. He held them out so everyone could see. "The roses represent these, our wings. One for healing, one for flooding the heart, one for sleep, one for an explosion, one for fire and two for poison." Krad threw five of them and they hit the counter like a series of darts.

"So, why do you think you were brought here?" Kazuki inquired as he turned his attention back to Krad.

Krad shrugged. "Dark and I were meant to seal Raven Moon. Oh, god! Dark!" Krad went to take a step then froze. "By the way, does anyone have any clothing I can borrow until I steal my own?"

~ * ~

End Chapter III.

Once again, really sorry. I doubt it's worth the wait, but I hope you enjoyed it!

Please review!


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